Phantasmal lure
Phantasmal Lure Illusion (Phantasm) Mind-Affecting Level: Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Duration: 1 hour/level Range: Close (25 ft. +5 ft./2 caster levels) Area of Effect: 5’ cube of space Save: Will negates You imbue a particular area with a pernicious mental trap that deceives whoever observes it that fails a Will saving throw, into seeing something which they most expected or most desired to find in this particular place. For example, a person seeking a treasure, upon observing the space may see the treasure they desire, while another seeing an empty bed may instead see the person they expect to be in the bed reposing in it. The viewer themselves fills in the details of the illusion with whatever most fits their expectations in the context of the trap, filling in any auditory, visual, olfactory, or tactile evidence of their delusion – up to and including making up reasonable conversation for an imagined person. A new saving is allowed whenever the victim explores a new sensory aspect of their delusion – touching what was previously unseen, smelling what was previously at a distance, etc. Because the illusion exists only in the minds of the observers, it cannot violate any physical laws, but victims will generally try to rationalize any interaction that takes place until they pass their saving throw. If multiple viewers see the same phantasmal lure simultaneously, they each will initially see a different thing. The trap is so insidious that if one victim describes what they see or have seen to another, that person will then expect to see what has been described and so see vaguely the same scene just as it was described if they also have failed the their saving throw. Even if two viewers that initially see different scenes describe what they see to each other, they two viewers will come to believe that each is describing different aspects of the same scene and only noticing the new details as their companion points them out. For example, if one initially sees kegs of fine ale, and another initially sees overflowing chests of treasure, when each describes the scene they will then suddenly notice the previously unseen ale and treasure and imagine the new features. However, if two viewers see details that completely contradict each other and cannot be reconciled – one sees the corpse of an enemy and another sees the same person alive – each victim is allowed a new saving throw when the contradiction is revealed. In such cases, the victim may believe everyone else is the victim of a powerful illusion, other than themselves, or they may delude themselves into believing that they were formerly deluded by wishful thinking. Note that the caster has no direct control over what is viewed, but can provide hints by altering the context of the area. For example, a caster wishing someone to view a rich treasure, could likely suggest that by leaving a real chest and a few scattered copper coins in the area of the phantasm. Ultimately however, what is actually seen by the observer is up to the DM based on the character’s mental state and private desires. The material component of this spell is a loose bundle of fine threads scented with a drop of perfume worth at least 1 g.p. This spell can be made permanent with the permanency spell at the cost of 1000 XP. Category:Illusion spells Category:2nd level sorcerer and wizard spells